'I had to fight all day' - Andrade Reflects on Historic BC1 Gold
IslandStats.com
Bermuda's newly crowned BC1 champion Yushae Andrade admitted she was forced to dig deep into her mental reserves to capture a sensational gold medal at the Birmingham 2026 World Boccia Challenger.
Reflecting on a high-stakes day of individual competition in the United States, the elite athlete revealed just how close she came to the brink before orchestrating a brilliant golden comeback.
"I'm really happy that I won the gold," an ecstatic Andrade told reporters after standing atop the podium. "You know, it was a fight all day."
That relentless battle began in her opening pool match against South Korea's Sohyeon Park. The contest pushed both competitors to the absolute limit, rapidly turning into an unpredictable, touch-and-go tactical affair.
"I don't know if you saw my first game, but it went to a tie-breaker, 4-4," Andrade recalled. "And, obviously, I won."
Having navigated that initial scare, Andrade advanced to the showpiece final against Yi-Ting Tsai of Chinese Taipei. However, the gold medal match started in nightmare fashion for the Bermudian star, who found herself trailing early on and facing a significant deficit as the ends ticked away.
Showing the resilience of a true champion, Andrade refused to let the match slip away, staging an explosive late rally to completely stun her opponent.
"In my last game, I had to fight back again," Andrade explained. "I was down 2-0 going into the third end, and then I got three points. And then I got the final point. So yeah, I'm really, really excited and happy about that."
The dramatic 4-2 comeback victory not only secures an invaluable international title for Andrade but also serves as a massive statement of intent as she continues her journey on the world stage.
Saturday, June 20, 2026
Andrade Captures Sensational BC1 Gold in Birmingham
IslandStats.com
Bermuda's Yushae Andrade produced a masterclass in tactical precision to capture the BC1 women's gold medal at the Birmingham 2026 World Boccia Challenger in the United States.
On an electric final day of individual competition at the Lakeshore Foundation, the elite Bermudian athlete bounced back from early group-stage defeat to land atop the podium, secure vital world ranking points, and boost her journey toward the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games.
Andrade’s path to glory in Women's BC1 Pool A required immense mental fortitude. Facing South Korea’s Sohyeon Park in a fiercely contested tactical battle, Andrade showed superb nerve under pressure, engineering a dramatic 4-4 draw to keep her championship aspirations firmly on track.
That gritty result propelled her into a high-stakes gold medal showdown against Yi-Ting Tsai of Chinese Taipei. With everything on the line, Andrade executed a clinical game plan, dictating the distance and outmaneuvering her opponent to seal a historic 4-2 victory and claim the coveted Gold.
There was to be no double celebration for the Bermudian contingent in the men's division, however, as teammate Omar Hayward endured a frustrating afternoon.
Competing in Men's BC1 Pool A, Hayward fought valiantly but ultimately fell to a 5-2 defeat against Brazil's seasoned strategist Jos Chagas.
Despite Hayward's minor setback, the headline belongs firmly to Andrade, whose golden triumph underlines her status as one of the premier boccia talents in the Caribbean region.
Friday, June 19, 2026
Resilient Bermuda bounce back with Victories in Birmingham
IslandStats.com
Bermuda’s boccia contingent staged a brilliant response on day two of individual pool play at the Birmingham World Boccia Challenger in Alabama, securing two dominant victories and a historic personal milestone.
Following a punishing opening day of defeats against elite global opposition, the island's three-strong squad showed immense character to get their international campaigns firmly back on track.
Bermuda's top-ranked competitor Yushae DeSilva-Andrade led the charge in style within the BC1 Female division. Competing in Pool A, DeSilva-Andrade who was pleased with her performance on the opening day turned in a tactical masterclass against Chinese Taipei’s Pei-Shan Hsu. Displaying superb accuracy and clinical jack management, the Bermudian powerhouse dominated from the opening end to cruise to an emphatic 7-1 victory.
There was mirrored success in the men's brackets as the experienced Omar Hayward reasserted his authority in Pool A of the BC1 Male division.
Up against Canada's Kyle Scott, Hayward found his rhythm early, capitalising on precise placement to dictate the pace of the match. The local favorite bounced back spectacularly from his day-one loss to the United States, dismantling his Canadian opponent in a convincing 7-2 win to keep his hopes of advancing alive.
Meanwhile, international debutant Zeik Blakeney celebrated a significant personal breakthrough in Pool C of the BC2 Male division.
Facing Australia's Aaryan Shah, the young Bermudian fought valiantly against an elite, seasoned competitor. While Shah ultimately ran out a 14-3 victor, Blakeney’s three points marked his first-ever scores on the international circuit. Having only just passed his classification evaluation ahead of the tournament, getting on the scoresheet marks a massive milestone for the debutant as the Bermudian trio look ahead to the business end of pool play.
Thursday, June 18, 2026
Testing Opening Day for Bermuda in Birmingham
IslandStats.com
Bermuda’s Boccia contingent endured a challenging start to their campaigns on the opening day of individual pool play at the Birmingham World Boccia Challenger in Alabama.
Three athletes are representing the island at the prestigious international event, which marks the return of elite world-sanctioned boccia to United States soil for the first time since 2017. While the tournament offers critical ranking points on the long road to the LA28 Paralympic Games, the opening round-robin fixtures proved unyielding for the local side against elite opposition.
In the BC1 Female division, Bermuda’s top-ranked competitor Yushae DeSilva-Andrade faced a formidable opening test in Pool A. DeSilva-Andrade, who entered the season in fine form, was defeated by a clinical performance from Brazil’s Andreza de Oliveira, who secured a commanding 5-0 victory.
There was similar frustration in the men's brackets. Competing in Pool A of the BC1 Male division, the experienced Omar Hayward struggled to find his rhythm against the United States’ Cornelius Oatis. Capitalizing on home-court advantage, Oatis asserted his authority early to run out a comfortable 7-1 victory.
Meanwhile, the tournament provided a significant personal milestone for Zeik Blakeney, who made his highly anticipated international debut in the BC2 Male division.
Having officially passed his classification evaluation ahead of the event to begin his world-ranking journey, Blakeney was handed a baptism of fire in Pool C. He went down 15-0 to El Salvador’s seasoned competitor Mario Sayes. Despite the heavy scoreline, the overseas exposure marks a crucial learning curve for the debutant as the Bermudian trio look to regroup for their remaining pool matches.
Monday, June 08, 2026
Interim boss Roberts Rules out Permanent Bermuda Hot Seat
IslandStats.com
Bermuda Senior Women’s National Team interim head coach Karl Roberts has firmly ruled himself out of the running for the permanent managerial position, insisting his sole focus remains assisting the team through its current transition.
Roberts, who was handed the reins alongside Calvin Dill for the international friendly double-header against Belize following the departure of long-standing manager Naquita "Coach Keta" Robinson, made it clear he has no desire to assume the top job full-time.
Speaking candidly after his side's latest performance, Roberts downplayed any speculation that he was looking to audition for a long-term tenure in the technical area.
"In reference to me taking on the senior role—no, I have no intentions of replacing Keta," Roberts stated. "Keta brought me in to assist, and that's it. I had no intentions of taking that position.
"I have already talked to the BFA concerning it, and I have no interest in taking it on as a head coach."
Despite ruling himself out of the flagship position, Roberts emphasized that his commitment to the growth of the women's game on the island remains completely unchanged.
"In some way, I still would possibly be interested in helping out or assisting with the senior women," he added, leaving the door open to support whoever the Bermuda Football Association eventually instates as the permanent successor.
On the field, Roberts was quick to highlight the tactical strides his squad made between their first and second outings, noting a massive leap in execution and spatial awareness despite what the scorelines might suggest.
Reflecting on the strategic adjustments made during intense training sessions between matchdays, the interim boss praised his players for successfully implementing the tactical tweaks.
"Yesterday’s game was quite good," Roberts explained. "We practiced after Thursday's game in preparation for yesterday, and we went over a few things that we saw in the first game and sought to improve.
"Yesterday’s game was a lot better in reference to how we played. We kept the ball better for longer occasions, and the movement off the ball was better by the ladies. The decision-making was better from the first game to the second game."
While football managers are frequently judged on raw data, Roberts insisted that the overall progression of the squad outweighed the optics of the final whistle.
"Even though the scoreline doesn't really reflect it, our play was better in yesterday's game," Roberts concluded. "Applause to the players. They are coachable, they want to do well, and from their energy, it’s just a matter of nurturing and guiding them."
